


Decoder

by kribban



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Gen, Holodecks/Holosuites
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-24
Updated: 2019-11-24
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:07:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21546571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kribban/pseuds/kribban
Summary: Jadzia, Benjamin and Odo view a holonovel adaption of a 21st century Earth classic.
Kudos: 10
Collections: Bite Sized Bits of Fic from 2019





	Decoder

"Computer, pause simulation,” Commander Sisko’s clear voice rang out and he turned to face Dax.

”What’s the problem, old man?”

Jadzia tilted her head and folded her arms. ”The needlessly convoluted plot, to start with. Creative license is one thing, but this is just unrealistic.” She threw her hands out and indicated the scene in front of them.

Several holographic characters were frozen in their positions hovering over the figure of a corpse lying in a red circle.

”Think, Benjamin. If you were bleeding out from a gunshot wound, would you really have the presence of mind to draw elaborate symbols with your own blood and write coded messages in invisible ink? Where did he find the ink, anyway? Did he just happen to have it on his person?”

”Your critique is certainly sound.” Commander Sisko seemed amused. ”But worry that your issues with the technical details will interfere with your enjoyment of the larger story. Records show that this is a very popular literary work from the 21st Century, certainly one that deserves our full attention.”

”Nuclear weapons were also popular on Earth back then,” Jadzia said with a glint in her eye. ”Just because something is popular doesn’t mean it’s high quality.”

”Might I suggest temporarily suspending your disbelief, Lieutenant?” Odo said gruffly. He sounded as impatient as he always did, although maybe a little worse. ”For the duration of the program, at least.”

He had been watching the holonovel with keen interest, now that Jadzia thought about it. She turned to him and sighed.

”It doesn’t help that the characters are underdeveloped. The protagonist is so two-dimensional he might as well be a sheet of paper.”

”Oh, I find him very robust,” Odo said. ”A highly diligent investigator, with a marvelously sharp mind and a keen eye for detail. Over the course of the story, he proves himself to be a master detective.”

”You’ve read the novel?”

When Benjamin had suggested this little activity and told her he was also inviting Constable Odo, she hadn’t thought much of it. If anything, she had thought that Benjamin was the one who was interested in the novel and that inviting Odo was a mere courtesy.

”Many times, Lieutenant. The DaVinci Code is, in fact, one of my favorite books.” Odo never looked wistful, but he did glance over at the frozen holographic characters before meeting her gaze again. ”Though, this is the first time I’m able to enjoy its holographic adaptation.”

The Constable worked as hard as the rest of them, but unlike the rest of them, he didn’t have much of a personal life. She had her games of Dabo and her holodeck adventures. Benjamin had Jake. The only thing besides his work that Odo had ever shown any interest in was the detective novels he read.

Jadzia let out a theatrical sigh and shrugged. ”If you say the story gets better, I believe you, Odo. Go on, Benjamin, resume the program.”

Odo gave her the slightest nod and turned his attention to the holographic characters who had sprung to life in front of them.


End file.
